I've recently moved to Vancouver and am thinking of getting a full suspension bike to get into freeriding / north shore riding. I currently ride a Orange Hitman with '04 DJIII's and have never owned a full suspension bike before.

I am not planning on getting into full on DH and would like something that is solid yet slightly lighter and more nimble so that I can still pedal uphill and that the transition from my HT will not be all too severe.

I've had a look around and read some reviews and threads about bikes online and saw some bikes that appeal to me but since my knowledge of full suspension bikes is quite limited I am not sure how these bikes fair up in reality.

To start off I think I will consider getting something 2nd hand, and will probably look to spend somehwere in the region of 1500$ +- a couple hundred.

Any suggestions to start me off on my quest for a suitable ride to get started on the north shore would be a great help!